This Love's a Curse
by SkinnyLittleLesbian
Summary: In which Henry puts Emma under a sleeping curse.


"Kid, leave it alone." Emma stalked past Henry.

He hurried to keep up. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Here's the thing, Henry. You were right about the curse thing, yeah, but this is different."

His hand curled around her wrist and she jerked to a halt. "No, it's not."

She was so close to just being at the sheriff's station. After months of startling reveals and sea-faring adventures, she was ready to simply resume her work – work was safe and normal and real. She could attach her badge to her hip, drive the cruiser, and pretend that there was nothing at all special about Storybrooke, Maine.

"Even if I was to believe, why are you so set on Neal?"

Henry grinned. "He's my dad."

"People have kids with other people without true love being involved."

"But it's just so perfect. Of all the people in this world you could fall in love with and have a baby – you found him. It's true love." His confidence allowed no room for discussion.

She tried anyway. "There is such a thing as a coincidence."

His smirk made her nervous. "Yeah, okay."

"So… I dunno. Just lay off, huh?" She began walking again and he fell into step beside her.

"Okay."

That was easier than she thought, but she wasn't about to question his sudden acquiescence. If he was willing to drop it, then she was willing to let him.

0-0-0

Regina kept her arms firmly at her side, but her fingers desperately wanted to thread through his hair. He was actually smiling at her. She tried to keep it together, but her resolve was weakening every moment he wasn't slinging harsh words at her.

"So can I?"

He had asked something? She shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Henry."

"God, you never listen."

Her jaw tightened. "I just haven't seen you in a long while. I-"

"Whatever." His smile disappeared and she had no idea how to bring it back. "Nevermind."

0-0-0

"My boy." Gold placed his hands shoulder-width apart on the counter and leaned forward to examine his grandchild. "How can I help you?"

Henry glanced around the shop. "My mom wouldn't do it, but I bet you will. You're more powerful than she is."

"Indeed?"

"Yeah. I need a sleeping curse."

"That's potent magic." Gold's eyebrows inched up. "If I was to give you what you're after, I'd be curious as to your target."

"Emma."

His grin stretched wider. "What would be the use in that?"

"She doesn't believe me." Henry was uneasy revealing all of his secrets, but Gold was related by blood. Even if his grandfather had hurt others, he didn't think Gold would try to hurt him. There had been a tense moment in Neverland, but Gold had pulled through for him. "I want her to marry my dad."

"And she won't without magic?"

"She says it's complicated."

Gold hobbled to his hidden safe and spun the dial. Though he was aware that Neal would probably have issues with the methods, neither his son nor Emma could argue with the results it would yield. Neal might even thank him, he thought. He'd watched Neal's eyes following Emma's every movement when they were together. His son was in love and as part of patching up their relationship, he was going to help.

He made it to Henry's side and leaned heavily on his cane. "Three drops. No more, no less."

Henry accepted the vial, hugged him, and beamed. "She'll have to believe after this."

0-0-0

"What did you do!?"

Henry stared up at Snow with a proud smile. At his feet, Emma lied crumpled in a heap. The position didn't look comfortable in the least, but Emma made no effort to move. Snow fell to her knees and shook Emma's shoulders.

"Just get Neal." Henry advised. "Then she'll wake up and they can get married."

"Did you – curse her?"

Henry's mouth twitched. "Don't say it like that. It's nothing bad!"

"You remember the nightmares, don't you?" Snow clutched Emma to her chest. "What were you thinking?"

He hadn't remembered the nightmares. "Well, when Neal helps her wake up, he can help her with the nightmares, too."

"This was incredibly irresponsible!"

"It'll be worth it, even if you ground me." His grin was irrepressible. Snow pulled out her phone.

0-0-0

Neal bent over Emma's prone form. He caressed her cheek fondly, shot an angry look at Henry, and pressed his lips to Emma's. Henry waited expectantly for a flash of blinding light and a ripple of magic, but nothing happened.

"Try again."

Neal kissed her more firmly. Then again, and once more for good measure. "It's not working."

Henry's forehead creased. "Maybe you're doing it wrong."

Snow helped Neal up. "It's not hard, Henry."

"But it's got to work."

"It didn't." Neal stared down at Emma, his face blank. Snow could only guess what he was thinking, but she imagined it was a life-altering moment for him.

"Come on." She moved him slowly, keeping him steady as he tripped over his own feet. "Let's get you a drink."

"It's too early…" His voice cracked.

"Not alcohol." She corrected herself. "I meant more like hot chocolate."

Henry approached Emma's side once they were gone and tried kissing her cheek. When nothing happened, he frowned and tears threatened to spill. What if Emma was stuck? He dragged his sleeve across his eyes. She was under a curse and she had no true love.

0-0-0

"But there's gotta be a way." Henry followed Gold around the store.

"True love's kiss."

"Another way."

"I'm afraid not." Gold tapped his cane against the ground as he came to a halt in front of a display case. "Magic always comes with a price, my boy. You took the chance and this is the cost."

"This isn't my fault."

"Of course it is." Gold snapped. "You used power beyond your comprehension."

Henry grimaced. "It's not. But I'm going to make it right. That's what good guys do."

"Good luck with that." Gold's sneer deepened. "I hope your curiosity was satisfied. If you need more magic, my door is always open."

0-0-0

His hug took her by surprise, so it took a full ten seconds before her arms descended around his shoulders and tightened possessively. He was taller than she remembered, and skinnier. Was Snow even feeding him?

"Mom, please."

Her lower lip trembled but she pushed her feelings down. "I want to help you."

"So do it!"

"But a sleeping curse can only be broken with true love."

He pushed away. "She doesn't have a true love."

"She'll sleep until she does." Regina murmured. She felt lonely again already, though he hadn't yet left her. "There are stories of a woman sleeping for a century."

"I don't want that!"

Neither did she, but she knew he wouldn't accept that. "I don't know what you need from me."

"Wake her up."

She wished he was still in her arms so that she could kiss his head. Instead she smiled sadly and promised that she'd try.

0-0-0

Thankfully the apartment was empty when Regina slipped inside. She didn't particularly want to face Snow or have others witness this small humiliation. There was no reason this would work, but she was going to try. She promised.

Emma looked peaceful, she noted. She sat on the edge of the blonde's bed and took a few steadying breaths. This wouldn't work. She shouldn't even be trying. But Henry's pleading face was burned into her memory.

"You won't tell, will you?" She bent over Emma and licked her lips.

Her eyes darted to Emma's mouth. It was hardly the first time she'd looked at it, but it was the first time she almost had permission to act upon her desires. With nobody around to judge her, she let her implacable façade drop away. Her hands quivered and her heart thumped. Determined to do it quickly, and let herself down painlessly, she pushed her lips to Emma's.

For a moment, disappointment surged through her – but then the tell-tale golden magic spurted around them. Regina leaned back and pressed her fingers to her lips. It was suddenly difficult to breathe. Emma's eyes fluttered open and focused slowly.

"Regina?"

Before Regina could fathom a response, the front door opened. Snow, David, and Henry trundled through, arms full of groceries. The bags hit the floor when they saw Regina bedside and Emma struggling to sit up.

"Emma! You're awake!" Henry barreled forward and launched himself onto the bed.

"Kid?"

"I'm sorry!" Henry was on the verge of hysterics and his voice quavered. Regina was about to edge away, but he caught her elbow. "You did it."

"Did what?" Emma blinked, her movements lugubrious.

"You were cursed." Henry supplied.

"What?"

Snow lingered in the doorway. "That's not important. You're okay now. Concentrate on that."

"Who cursed me?" Emma's gaze settled on Regina. "I can't believe you'd do that to me."

She wanted to be angry, but her brain was still fumbling with the concept that her kiss had worked. "I woke you up."

"How?" Henry clung to her.

"I kissed her."

Emma dragged her arm over her mouth. "That's so not okay."

"You're lying." Henry dropped his grasp on his mother and scuttled backward, nearly falling off the bed.

"Maybe you should leave." Snow suggested. "Just for now."

Regina looked at them gathering around Emma and realized that she was, as always, out of place. She turned quickly and left.

0-0-0

"Regina. Why are you here?" Emma was glad there was a desk between them.

"I wanted to see if you were recovering appropriately."

"Yup. Thanks for checking. Bye."

Rather than leave, Regina moved closer. "Do you know what it means? That I woke you?"

"You might have lied." Emma chuckled uneasily. "Besides, there's no such thing as true love here."

"I woke you." Regina repeated. Her gaze was dark and focused.

"Yeah, probably because you've got so much magic or something. It doesn't mean anything."

"It does. Perhaps you don't understand how the curse works, and I've tried to be patient."

"There's nothing to understand." Emma tried to keep her panic from showing. She was wholly unprepared for all of this and more than a little upset that it was being forced into her life.

Regina stepped around the desk and Emma tried to wheel away – but Regina snagged the arm of the chair. She pulled Emma closer, stared into Emma's eyes, and then kissed her. At first Emma struggled under her, but the moment her tongue slipped between Emma's lips, the fight slipped away. Regina pulled back, but Emma's hand jumped behind her neck and kept her in place.

When it finally ended, Emma's eyes remained closed. Their foreheads were pressed together, as Emma couldn't quite let go.

"This doesn't mean anything."

"You can't truly be this dense." Regina teased quietly.

"I can't…" Emma responded. "This isn't real."

"I'll wait."

"I don't want you to."

Regina kissed her again. "Try not to take too long."


End file.
